What to know about jury duty during pandemic
There are rules. Here’s what you need to know.
South Floridians have started receiving notices to attend jury duty during the pandemic, raising the question of who is required to show up to court in person amid COVID-19 concerns.
You could wind up in jail for skipping jury duty or face fines, but that’s a rarity.
Here’s a look at who must show up and what you can do if you’re worried about appearing in person.
Does a jury-duty notice mean you have to show up in person?
Yes, if you received a summons for in-person jury duty, it means you have to show up, said Broward Chief Administrative Judge Jack Tuter.
Jury notices going out now carry as much legal weight as those that went out before the pandemic hit last year. Ignore them at your peril: The state can charge you with contempt and levy a fine if you don’t show up.
There are some notices going out for virtual jurors. They do not need to show up at the courthouse but can follow the instructions on their summons to appear via Zoom.
All jurors are being asked to call 954-831-8471 after 5 p.m. the day before their appointment, to verify their service still will be required.
Will I be protected from COVID-19?
According to the Broward Clerk’s Office website, potential jurors can call 954-831-7054 or email juryservices@browardclerk. org to request a postponement due to concerns about COVID.
Authorized excuses include a positive COVID test, waiting for test results, self-quarantine, symptoms, and being in a high-risk group. People who have lost their jobs or financial resources due to the pandemic can also request a postponement.
Those who do show up will be screened to determine whether they have been exposed or are suffering from symptoms.
“You will find the courthouse is safe and sanitized,” said Tuter.
Palm Beach County resumed in-person jury duty last October, when a grand jury was selected. Then, in November, the first jury trials were conducted since March. The court system installed plastic partitions inside courtrooms, while requiring social distancing, masks and temperature screenings, similar to what Broward is planning.
With those safety measures in place, officials say 35% of prospective jurors have shown up for their scheduled day of jury duty in Palm Beach, which is up from 30% prior to the pandemic. Broward had a similar juror response rate before the trial shutdown, Tuter said.
Juries in Miami-Dade County returned to in-person service last month.
Do I need to be vaccinated against COVID?
No. Mask wearing and social distancing will be enforced regardless of vaccination status. Court employees will be checking temperatures and screening potential jurors to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
In-person jury trials were suspended in Broward last March, when it became clear that the COVID pandemic was more than just a health scare. Last summer’s vehicular homicide trial of Allan Blanchard Jallim, who was convicted and is awaiting sentencing, was the last case that brought a defendant, lawyers, a judge and jury into the same room.
Since then, justice has been at a virtual standstill — plea deals have cleared hundreds of cases, but victims and perpetrators of hundreds of serious crimes have been forced to wait for their day in court.
With COVID vaccines becoming more widely available, Tuter said the plan in Broward is to return — carefully, slowly, methodically — to normal.
“We are moving cautiously forward,” he said.
What happens if I just don’t show up?
In theory, refusing to show up for jury duty could land a citizen in hot water, with penalties ranging from a fine of $500 to six months in jail. In practice, Tuter said, such penalties are rare.
But scofflaw jurors can find themselves repeatedly pestered with notices to appear until they finally do, and the court has held specific hearings to advise jurors that their participation is not entirely voluntary.
When will jury duty start?
Starting Tuesday, Broward judges will seat juries in misdemeanor trials that will be held in four courtrooms in the north wing of the courthouse, each room equipped with plexiglass partitions to protect litigants, jurors, lawyers and courtroom personnel.
Felony trials won’t get underway until the third week of May.
These plans all depend on the course of the COVID pandemic in Florida. As long as the state doesn’t see a new wave of infections or a new quarantine, the reopening plan will proceed, Tuter said.
Palm Beach County courts began welcoming jurors back last October, when a grand jury was selected. Then, in November, the first jury trials were conducted since March. The court system installed plastic partitions inside courtrooms, while requiring social distancing, masks and temperature screenings.
About three dozen trials lasting one to two days have been held in recent months all major civil and criminal trials are on hold with judges hoping for more normal activity this summer.